by Vivian Arend
Claire walks us to the door.
“Lock up behind us, Mom.” Tank waits until she closes the door and we hear the latch slide into place.
I follow him down the driveway to his bike. He hands me the helmet but I don’t put it on.
“You’re different than I was expecting. This whole day has been so different. I didn’t even want to go but …”
“But what?”
“It’s just you. The thing you said back at the beach. I’ve been thinking about it ever since. You’re right. I was being judgmental. You made me think about things, really think. I wouldn’t have expected that from you. Most guys just look at women taking their clothes off as entertainment. Not as people.”
He holds my gaze and then tugs on a lock of my hair. “It’s not hard to see them as people if one of them is cutting the crusts off your peanut butter sandwiches and waking you for school in the morning.”
Shame slams into me. “Tank, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“I know. But I misjudged you, too. One thoughtless comment doesn’t override the good things. You were really great with her. I haven’t heard her laugh like that in a long time.”
“Your mom is awesome. She told me about all the gorgeous men she dated in college.”
He grimaces. “Yeah, she can be a little TMI with the details.”
I laugh. “That was the best part. I listened shamelessly and made her tell me every detail. Twice.”
He laughs along with me. “Good. Maybe she’ll tell all that stuff to you and not to me or Finn.”
“My mom had this salon she liked to go to and they would do her hair in the most beautiful styles. So, I never really had an at home spa day with her. Now I’m just left wondering how many other things we never got to do. How many other things did I miss out on because I thought we had plenty of time?”
The words dry up and I’m left staring back at him with this sick sense of despair that I can’t express. My throat closes up and there’s this awful burn behind my eyelids.
“I’m sorry about your mom, Emma. I would say I understand but I’m starting to realize that I don’t have the slightest clue.”
I grab his hand. It’s huge and there are callouses on the palm. I rub my thumb over the rough skin while I gather my thoughts.
“Your mom is still here and you’re doing exactly what you should be. Spending time with her. Appreciating her. And I don’t know what’s going on between you and your dad, but it’s not too late to make up with him either.”
I can tell he doesn’t know how to respond. I’m probably annoying him, pushing my nose into his business. We barely know each other and I’m trying to tell him how to live his life? But in that moment what I’m saying has nothing to do with Max Marshall, his money or doing a job. It’s one hundred percent truth and I like Tank enough to want to make sure he hears it.
“I know it’s none of my business but I feel like I have to warn you. Need to make sure you understand. Your mother, your father can be taken from you at any time. And you never realize how lucky you are to have parents, until you don’t.”
“You’re right. But my family situation … it’s complicated.”
I look back at the house where Claire stands in the window watching us. I hand the helmet back to Tank and walk back up the driveway. Before I even get to the door, Claire has it open. She’s watching me with this patient expression. It’s like she knows what I need and she’s just waiting for me to figure it out.
I take the last few steps at a run, almost knocking her over with a hug. My shoulders shake uncontrollably as I try to rein in my emotions. When I’m finally composed again, she wipes the tears from my face and smiles at me.
“It was so wonderful meeting you, Emma. Tank had better bring you back to see me. And if he doesn’t, be patient with him.”
“I will. Thank you.”
Tank is watching us with a baffled expression but he doesn’t say anything as I get on the back of his bike. He puts the helmet on my head and secures the strap beneath my chin. He’s so careful, like he’s afraid to hurt me.
He’s hard to resist on any given day but now, after seeing him with his mother, it’s pretty much fact.
Tank Marshall is irresistible.
We pull up outside of the house. Ivy’s car is the only one in the driveway. Jon loves taking her to fancy hotels, which she thinks is his way of showing her a good time. In my opinion it’s pretty sketchy, like he can’t take her to his house. Secretly, I think he’s already got a girlfriend.
She texted me earlier that they wouldn’t be back until tomorrow. It’s only a temporary reprieve but I’ll take it. I know I need to get my own place. They might be out now but eventually he’ll end up back here. I don’t want any repeats of the other morning.
“Is that his car?” Tank looks over his shoulder at me. He’s so close that I can smell the scent of his leather jacket and the aftershave he uses. It’s nice. Oh who am I kidding? It makes me want to climb inside his coat with him.
“No. They’re not here.”
“I hate the idea of leaving you here alone. What if he comes back?”
“He’s not dangerous, Tank. Just annoying and gross. As long as Ivy’s with him, he’ll be in her room. I won’t have to see him until morning. I’m going in to work early tomorrow anyway.” I climb off the back of the bike and unstrap the helmet. My hair is stuck to my forehead so I run a hand through it trying to fluff it out a little.
“I’ll pick you up.”
“No, you don’t have to do that.”
“Your car is still back at the beach, remember?”
After spending the evening with his mom, I totally forgot about my car. The smoke coming from beneath the hood probably means my cracked radiator finally busted. The last time I got it serviced, they told me I needed a new one. I didn’t have the money for it then and I still don’t. I could probably ask Ivy to borrow some but I already know her solution to the problem. She’ll ask Jon for the money and there is no way that I want to owe him anything. I’d rather walk.
“I might as well leave it there. I need a new radiator. And probably a new engine, too.”
“I’ll take care of it. After I’m done, I’ll bring it back to you at work. No arguments. After all, you just spent the past hour helping my mom out. We’re friends, right? It’s no big deal to help a friend out.”
I can’t think of anything to say. He’s making it easy for me to accept his help without feeling like a total charity case but it still feels like too much. “I can pay you back. At least for the parts.”
He shakes his head. “You can make me dinner.”
“You drive a hard bargain. I’ll make you dinner if we eat at your mom’s house.”
He looks at me in surprise.
“What? I really had fun today. Plus, I can tell she really enjoys it when you visit. So I’ll cook there if you don’t think she’ll mind.”
“No, she’ll love it. We haven’t had many family dinners lately. First because she wasn’t feeling well and then Finn, well, my brother doesn’t go out much now. Do you mind if I invite him?”
“Of course not. I think your mom will be really happy to have both of you there. What’s he like? Your brother, I mean.”
He glances at me and his lips tighten. “Never mind. I’m definitely not inviting him. He’ll spend the entire night hitting on you and then I’ll have to pound my own brother.”
Heat spreads through me at his possessive statement. After our disastrous beach date, I figured he wasn’t interested anymore. I definitely wouldn’t have expected him to be jealous at the idea of his brother hitting on me. Why would he even care?
“I’m sure he won’t even notice me. Ivy’s the one who has men panting after her everywhere she goes.”
His gaze holds mine. “You have men panting. If you don’t know that, then you aren’t paying attention.”
I suck in a breath as his breath washes over my face. His eyes drop to my lips as he gets close
r. Is he going to kiss me now? I lick my lips and his eyes immediately go to my mouth. Then he leans closer and grabs the helmet from my hands. He sits back, looking all together too satisfied considering that he’s gotten me all riled up. Then it dawns on me that he’s playing with me.
I adjust my bag and start walking up the driveway. When I turn around, he’s still watching me with a small smile.
“What?”
That smug smile gets even wider. “Nothing. I told you I’d get you to dinner one of these days.”
Then he starts the engine, drowning out any reply I would have made, and pulls off leaving me staring after him.
The next day, I’m completely distracted. Even Mr. Stevens notices when I call one of his longtime clients by the wrong name. Luckily we’re so busy today that I don’t have time to brood. Tank called this morning and offered me a ride to work but luckily Ivy was home. Seeing him first thing in the morning would have been too much. I need time to think without him there clouding my mind.
I only get out of the office to pick up a deli sandwich for Mr. Stevens. I don’t eat my own lunch until after three o’clock, a ham and cheese sandwich I threw together on the way out the door this morning.
When I take a bite, I discover that I didn’t put any mustard on the bread. I let out a disgusted sigh.
“I know that sound. Dating trouble?” Mr. Stevens puts a file on my desk and then leans against the wall.
“Not really. We’re not really dating.” I glance at him from the corner of my eye. He looks like a lawyer with his standard blue suit, red tie and strong jaw line. If his brown hair wasn’t thinning in the front, he’d look like an actor playing a lawyer on a crime drama. He’s always come across as logical, objective and fair. He’s the perfect person to ask for an impartial opinion about Tank. As far as I know, they don’t know each other outside of their professional relationship.
“It’s about Tank Marshall. I went on a date with him. And it was nice. Strange but nice. But I don’t have a lot of experience dating. You’ve been working with him for a while now. Does he come across as a decent guy to you?”
Patrick looks uneasy. “Look, kiddo. I can’t divulge information about my clients. You know that. But that family … just watch yourself, Emma. You’ve had a rough year and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“Of course. Thanks, Mr. Stevens.”
He nods and then disappears back into his office. Well, that tells me absolutely nothing. Since Patrick can’t tell me anything and I have nothing else to go on, I’ll have to use my own judgment here. What’s the big deal? I’m just supposed to be friendly to the guy and then put in a good word for his dad. I shouldn’t have to know his entire background to do that. But as I pack my things to leave for the day, I know I’m just fooling myself. I want to know more about Tank for reasons that have nothing to do with Maxwell Marshall or his insane job offer.
I want to know him because I’m attracted to him. Which is the number one reason I need to stay far away.
As if my thoughts have conjured him, Tank comes through the door at five minutes before closing time. He’s wearing the same beat-up leather jacket he had on a few nights ago at the club. His dark hair is spiked up at the top but not in a metrosexual I use hair product kind of way. This looks more like he’s growing out a buzz cut and his hair hasn’t figured out which direction is down yet.
“You don’t have an appointment today.”
He acknowledges the observation with a slight nod. “I don’t. I didn’t need all those other appointments either. But I’m sure you’ve figured that out by now.”
A warm tendril of pleasure unfurls inside me at his words. The thought had crossed my mind because he seemed to have more frequent appointments that any of our other clients but to hear him confirm it out loud is unexpected. He’s so … forward, sometimes. It’s like he has no fear, of rejection or embarrassment. Then again, considering the things he told me yesterday on our beach date, he’s had far worse to deal with in his life than a girl hurting his feelings.
“Maybe. But then maybe you flirt with every girl you meet.”
“No. I do a lot of things with you that I don’t do with anyone else.”
“Oh, you aren’t normally a beach-going kind of guy?” I tease. He’d seemed so out of place at the beach, like he wasn’t quite sure how to relax.
“Or an ask a girl out repeatedly kind of guy. I just don’t care that much as a general rule.” He tucks his hands in his pockets. “You seem to be the exception.”
“Lucky me.” I gather my things and then slide my arms into my coat. He follows behind me as I walk out of the law office. My car is parked directly in front of the door.
“You fixed it already?” I’d spent so much time obsessing over Tank that my car had completely slipped my mind.
“It turns out, I know a guy.” He laughs softly and I figure there’s probably way more to that story than I know.
“Still, thank you. If I’d had to go to my usual garage it would have taken at least a week before they’d finished with it. And they’d want my life savings and the blood of my future firstborn child.” I pull out my phone to text Ivy that I don’t need a ride anymore.
“No sacrificial lamb will be needed this time. Although, I feel bad about how off-track things got yesterday. We were interrupted, and then you end up playing hairdresser for my Mom and cleaning her kitchen. This can’t stay on my record. I need a do-over.”
“Well, the thing is I’m not going home. Today is my day to volunteer at the animal shelter.”
Tank leans closer and my breath seizes in my throat when he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. He’s so close that I can see that his eyes are actually a mixture of brown and green.
“Can’t you skip today? I really want to spend some time with you, Emma.”
Something clenches deep and low in my belly as his fingers brush over my cheek. I could skip going to the shelter but I know they really count on my help. They can’t afford to hire more people due to budget cuts. Blowing it off just to go out with a guy, a guy that I’m not even sure I really like, seems pretty crappy. A hot guy should not trump poor, sweet helpless animals. Although my libido doesn’t seem to agree. There is a completely shameless hussy inside of me that doesn’t care at all about the helpless strays at the shelter. I shake my head and open the driver’s side door of my car.
“I can’t. They really need all the help they can get. But wait, you could come with me. We could use the extra set of hands.” I smile pleadingly, hoping that he’ll come. Lusting after him isn’t so bad if he’s using those muscles to help out charity, right?
“I’m not really an animal person.”
“How can you not be an animal person? Animals give love so freely and they don’t hurt anyone. Not like people. Come on. This can be our do-over. What do you say?” I find myself holding my breath waiting for his answer.
I want this do-over just as much as he appears to. I can’t ask him more about his relationship with Mr. Marshall without making him defensive. But maybe I can find out how he feels about the rest of his family. Maybe that will give me a clue as to why he’s so against the idea of reconciling with his dad.
“Okay, you’ve convinced me.” Tank walks around the car and gets in the passenger seat. “There won’t be any interruptions this time.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
TANK
“So where is this place we’re going?” I’m prepared for the next hour or so to be pure torture. But if dealing with a bunch of pitiful creatures makes Emma more likely to give me another chance then I’ll do it.
“Near the community college. Back when I was in school, one of the guys in my biology class, Brett, mentioned that they needed volunteers. He’s studying to be a veterinarian, too. If I hadn’t had to drop out, we’d probably be in vet school together.”
“Everyone’s life takes a different path. I’m not sure why. Hell, I have absolutely no answers. But your path isn’t wrong, Emma. It’s
yours and you’ll make it meaningful and right. Don’t compare yourself to others.”
“You’re completely right. I just need a reminder of that some days.” Emma smiles over at me before turning into the parking lot in front of a small white building.
“The owner, Dr. Kenya Marsh, is really appreciative of all volunteers. This place is exactly what I want to do after I finish school. I want to offer veterinarian services to people who can’t afford it. Dr. Marsh has an open clinic one Saturday per month so that everyone can make sure their animals get preventative care.”
We climb out of the car and I follow her into the white building. Emma bypasses the front desk and walks down the hall. I follow since she seems to know where she’s going. We enter a room in the back, filled with metal cages. It smells like pee.
Christ, I must really like this girl.
“Hi Brett. How are the babies, today?” Emma asks as she shrugs out of her coat. She hangs it on a peg behind the door so I do the same.
A young man with dark, tightly curled hair turns around. In his arms are two black and white kittens. “Great, I’m just getting some playtime in with Thing 1 and Thing 2.”
Emma accepts one of the kittens and holds it gently in her palms. “Hello, Uno. Did you miss me? I missed you.”
Brett shakes his head. “She can always tell them apart. I don’t know how she does that.”
I watch in amazement as Emma lights up. How wrong I was to think that she never smiles. Obviously I’m just not the right audience. She is wearing the biggest, most beautiful smile right now. When she turns to me, her face bent so she can rub her cheek against the kitten’s soft fur, my heart gives an extra thump.
“You are so beautiful.”
“Huh? Did you say something, Tank?
“Uh, they’re beautiful. The kittens.”
She smiles her agreement and then sits right on the floor and allows the kittens to crawl all over her lap. Brett moves around the room, opening a few other crates and taking out their occupants. Before long the room is a meowing, hissing, purring cacophony of sound.